Physics is balanced… and 5 parts required high concentration

Yesterday, 12th grade students in various tracks (general, advanced, and elite) completed the physics exam as part of the end-of-term exams for the third semester of the academic year 2025-2026, in a test that was characterized by a balance of levels and combined direct questions with others that relied on analysis and thinking skills, while today the students take the Arabic language exam.

For its part, the Ministry of Education did not announce that it had received any complaints or inquiries related to the physics exam, while the exams went according to the procedures approved within the exam committees.

Students confirmed to Emirates Today that the exam paper came from the core of the prescribed curriculum, and took into account individual differences among learners, as it varied between direct questions and others that required a greater degree of focus and analysis, without deviating from the expected framework or including unusual surprises.

They reported that the exam was balanced and took into account individual differences, as it included 25 questions, 20 of which were described as direct, easy, and at the heart of the prescribed curriculum, while five questions were allocated to measure thinking, analysis, and application skills, and required a longer time to answer.

These questions included questions about equivalent resistance, two questions that require deductive skills, in addition to a question about analyzing the magnetic field graph, stressing that all questions came from the prescribed curriculum and did not include any external topics or concepts.

The students: Ali Mahmoud, Fatna Hamdeen, Salem Al-Raisi, Maha Jamil, and Nouran Salem, explained that the nature of most of the questions required performing the solution steps on an external piece of paper before determining the final answer, which required accuracy in analysis and good time management.

They added that the question of determining the direction of the force within the magnetic field was one of the questions that caused most discrepancies in the students’ answers during the electronic test, while the electricity question accompanied by a graph represented another challenge, due to its reliance on data interpretation and analysis skills before arriving at the correct answer.

The students pointed out that the physics exam, which 12-year-old students used to consider one of the most difficult exams in previous years, was more balanced and appropriate for different levels this year, despite it containing a limited number of indirect parts that required high concentration, and it did not exceed five paragraphs in the entire exam paper.

Regarding the exam time, the students confirmed that the time allocated for the electronic exam was sufficient for answering and reviewing, while some of them felt that there were parts of the questions that needed additional time, due to their reliance on multiple solution steps before choosing the final answer.

In turn, the physics teacher, Muhammad Al-Asyouti, said that the examination paper was balanced in terms of distributing the levels of questions, and covered the learning outcomes scheduled for the third semester in a comprehensive manner, explaining that the direct questions gave the students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the basic concepts, while some parts aimed to measure the skills of analysis and deduction and the application of physical laws in different situations, which is consistent with the approved assessment philosophy.

For her part, the physics teacher, Shaima Afifi, confirmed that the exam took into account the individual differences between the students, and did not include questions from outside the curriculum or unfamiliar ideas, pointing out that some questions, especially related to the magnetic field and analyzing graphs in electricity, required concentration in reading the data before choosing the answer, which is what distinguishes between memorization and a deep understanding of scientific concepts.

In a related context, the Ministry of Education confirmed the adoption of organized controls and procedures for evaluating students of determination, and mechanisms for promotion to the next grade, in a way that ensures the achievement of educational justice and taking into account individual differences, in accordance with approved academic standards.

The Ministry explained through the guideline for the student evaluation policy for the academic year 2025-2026, which was reviewed by Emirates Today, that the evaluation of students of determination is carried out according to their individual needs, and based on the individual educational plan approved for each student, in a way that is consistent with his educational capabilities and ensures the provision of fair opportunities to highlight his level of academic achievement.

She added that students whose individual educational plans include adaptations, support, or adaptations in testing and evaluation mechanisms are subject to these arrangements in accordance with what their educational plans stipulate, while students whose plans include modifications to learning outcomes or curricula are subject to special tests and evaluations prepared by teachers in accordance with the objectives of their individual plans, with their results monitored according to the approved system.